![]() ![]() The Handymen never quite reach the tragedy or the threat of the original series’ Big Daddies, who are now such an exemplary figure in game history that they are virtually an impossible act to follow. But as learnt from a Voxophone, the monstrous Handymen tell a tragic tale of scientists who exploit the desperation of terminal cancer patients clinging to life, exposed to the propaganda that they are ‘better a Handy man than a dead one’. ![]() Both the Handyman and the Motorized Patriot are incredibly boring to fight huge bullet sponges with weak spots that will fall after pointing and shooting for a few minutes. Luckily, the reality warping plot of Bioshock Infinite is so compelling that this problem, as it may have been in development, can be overlooked.īioshock Infinite perfects its engaging story with a fantastically detailed world, however the crucial marriage between thematic worth and gameplay is often not fully balanced: the prime example being the larger enemies. In a game so concerned with the careful and inventive crafting of its universe, it is odd that the citizen’s opinions and use of Vigors are left unexplained neglected by the way side. It would have been repetitive if Vigors had played as big a part as Plasmids, and although they are part and parcel of the Bioshock experience they are unusual enough to require explanation. Plasmids, the original Bioshock’s equivalent to Vigors, were key plot pieces: the powers became addictive to the citizens of rapture, morphing them into the belligerent Splicers. In the original artwork for these two enemies, the Fireman and Zealot were ‘Vigor Junkies’, so in changing their design it seems that the developers were seeking to avoid the addiction crisis plot of the previous games. Equally as lacklustre are the ‘Firemen’, who use the Devil’s Kiss Vigor to lob fireballs Booker’s way and the ‘Zealots of the Lady’ (the KKK coffin-backpackers) who are able to teleport in a manner stylistically similar but otherwise completely incongruous to the stun ability of the Murder of Crows Vigor. Industrialist Jeremiah Fink mass produces the stuff and markets them to citizens in the opening funfair scene, but Enemies who use anything more than bullets are rare but also sadly unremarkable, such as an underwhelming boss-fight with an old army comrade, who seems hell bent on killing Booker with a mixture of Shock Jock tickles and maniacal exposition. Although being produced by the industrial bucket-load and readily available in open crates and vending machines to every soldier, rebel, and hotdog salesman, it is only Mr DeWitt who sees the tactical advantage in suspending your enemies flailing in mid air or electro-zapping their ears off. The presence of Vigors, Columbia’s superpowers by the bottle, do not seem fully integrated into Infinite’s world. It’s so beautiful, it doesn’t need to be fun to play at all. After making the long comedown from being completely blown away by this game, it is just possible to see that in a universe built for such a purposeful storytelling, some gameplay elements are bound to slip through the gaps of the floating city of Columbia. Instead of trying to explain what is so good about this game (and because it’s easier to be negatively critical, of course) it seems constructive to take note of the very few shortcomings. Along with protagonist Booker DeWitt, Infinite propels us into a glorious re-imagining of the American Dream, a feast for the eyes whose plot packs a cerebral punch with a twist ending to boot, flooring you as hard as any Donnie Darko or Blade Runner. Over in the game world, Bioshock Infinite has possibly even eclipsed these dizzying heights. And why? “Because it’s just so good”, which is usually confirmed with another, slightly more dreamy, “ so good”. All we can muster from our foaming mouths at the mere sight of a new recruit is demanding that they HAVE to see them. Take TV shows like Breaking Bad and The Wire: they are so pitch perfect and so saturated in acclaim that all attempts to explain our own enjoyment breaks down. ![]() The problem with brilliant things is they often stun us into speechless admiration. ![]()
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